features & specs

The 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan may boast a storied nameplate, but this minivan is way behind the times.

The 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan is a minivan that's past its sell-by date. It's outclassed by its corporate cousin, the Chrysler Pacifica, and other competition. The Grand Caravan's claim to fame is its low price.

We’re willing to look beyond the initial purchase price, however, which is why we’ve rated this outdated minivan a mere 4.5 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

The Grand Caravan has been around in its current iteration since 2008 with only one update since, and it shows. Today, it’s available in SE, SE Plus, and SXT trim levels, each of which undercuts most rivals. Then again, that whole “you get what you pay for” phrase comes in handy here since the Grand Caravan has a chintzy interior, a clomping ride, and a subpar safety record.

Review continues below

Under its short hood sits a 283-horsepower version of the company’s 3.6-liter V-6 gas engine paired to a 6-speed automatic that shuttles power to the front wheels. The V-6 is strong, but the Grand Caravan’s weak structure and firm suspension results in a chuck wagon-grade ride quality with rattling interior trim to really set the mood.

At least the van benefits from Dodge’s traditionally solid packaging. The optional Stow ‘n Go seating arrangement features two thinly padded second-row bucket seats or a two-place second-row bench plus a three-seat third-row bench that tumble their way into the cargo floor when not in use. The net result is a commendably flat, wide, and long cargo area ready to swallow whatever life throws at you.

The Grand Caravan’s only rival in this respect is the far more modern Chrysler Pacifica, which is one of our favorite family haulers. The Pacifica tops the Grand Caravan not only on its roominess, but also in its safety record—something we think most families would place at the top of their shopping lists.

3

2018 Dodge Grand Caravan

Styling

The 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan looks like it’s 10 years old—because it is.

The 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan is a relic from the past, something that’s obvious the first time you take a look at it. This slab-sided, boxy van’s interior hardly redeems itself with its tall center stack and blocky design.

We’ve pulled off points both for its dull exterior and its unimaginative interior, bringing it to a 3 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

Things don’t change much inside, where the Grand Caravan sees most of its controls grouped together in a tall center stack array. Audio controls are up top, followed by climate controls and a smattering of pockets for snacks, mobile phones, and the like.

It’s not so much that the Grand Caravan is miserably bad, it’s that its rivals surpassed it—in some cases many, many years ago.

Review continues below

5

2018 Dodge Grand Caravan

Performance

Under the 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan’s short hood sits a version of the automaker’s 3.6-liter V-6 engine paired to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. That’s enough to propel the Grand Caravan with authority, but we’ve canceled out that point for this van’s chuck wagon-grade ride quality.

All in, the 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan scores a 5 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

In this application, the V-6 is rated at 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The standard-issue 6-speed automatic fires off quick shifts with a minimum of gear hunting. The engine is muted and distant and it delivers excellent straight-line acceleration. Over even the roughest terrain, this van mutes out the rest of the world reasonably well.

Unfortunately, this is a lot of engine for the Grand Caravan’s dated chassis, meaning the wheel can tug to one side under hard acceleration.

All Grand Caravans share the same suspension settings and 17-inch alloy wheels are standard on SE Plus trims and higher. That’s a shame because this van rides fairly firmly and seemingly transmits every road imperfection to the cabin’s trim panels. Our last several Grand Caravan test vans have had a cacophony of loose trim pieces scattered about the cabin.

Review continues below

5

2018 Dodge Grand Caravan

Comfort & Quality

The 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan’s interior is roomy and its Stow ‘n Go seats are versatile, but it feels cheap and the second and third row seats are particularly stiff.

Minivans are renowned for their flexibility, and despite the 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan’s age, it offers up good room and some terrific storage options.

We’ve added a point for the excellent Stow‘n'Go system that sees a thinly padded second row of individual captain’s chairs or a small bench seat magically dive into the floor. Low-buck interior materials cancel out that point, however, bringing things to a 5 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

The third row does the same, albeit with a single tug of a lever for the entire unit.

Only Grand Caravan SEs are available with a second-row bench seat setup; other models have individual captain’s chairs that aren’t great for the long haul. Up front, you’ll find a pair of thrones with decent outward visibility and excellent adjustment options.

Where the Grand Caravan especially comes up weak is in terms of its interior materials. Soft touch plastics do adorn the top of its doors and dash, but what’s leftover—and that’s almost everything—feels positively budget-grade.

Review continues below

3

2018 Dodge Grand Caravan

Safety

Woeful crash-test scores and a lack of advanced safety equipment make the 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan a tough sell for families.

The 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan is certainly safer than an older minivan, but its crash-test scores and lack of advanced safety equipment would give us pause.

A four-star overall result from the federal government and a “Poor” showing in the IIHS’ small-overlap frontal crash test knock it down to just a 3 out of 10 on our scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

Digging deeper into those tests, we see that the government gave the Grand Caravan five stars for side impact and the IIHS scores are otherwise “Good.”

Grand Caravans come fitted with seven airbags, stability control, anti-lock brakes, and a rearview camera, but features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warnings are not available.

Used Dodge Grand Caravan for sale near

2018 Dodge Grand Caravan

Features

The 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan trades mostly on its low base price and not its high feature count.

The 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan is priced to sell and discounts should be readily available. It lags behind newer rivals in terms of standard equipment, so we’ve docked a point for its spartan base spec. But we’ve added another back for its terrific Stow ‘n Go stowable second and third-row seats that offer an especially high degree of flexibility.

That brings it to an even 5 out of 10 in our eyes. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

The Grand Caravan starts in value-oriented SE trim, where it features standard power windows and locks, a rearview camera, a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, three-zone air conditioning, and 17-inch wheels. Bluetooth connectivity is optional and it’s bundled with an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a leather-wrapped steering wheel as part of the Uconnect Handsfree option package.

Next up is the Grand Caravan SE Plus, which comes with the Uconnect Handsfree package and builds on the SE with standard black-finish alloy wheels, a small center console between the front seats, and captain’s chairs in place of a bench seat in the second row.

The SXT trim adds an upgraded center console, a power driver’s seat, gray-finished alloy wheels, automatic headlights, remote start, and a roof rack. Optional on the Grand Caravan SXT are some goodies like heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a Garmin in-dash navigation with a 6.5-inch display. Leather is also optional and it’s bundled with black wheels and a few other exterior styling touches as part of the Blacktop Package.

All versions of the Grand Caravan can be fitted with a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with a single 9.0-inch screen, although a few iPads are probably the better investment these days.

Owner 0perator

Decent minivan dealer gave us a very good price as we're going to convert to haul 2 wheelchairs at a time plus other people around as nonprofit organization. 226 889 9299 stephen webster

people found this helpful.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

July 26, 2018

For 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan

Absolutely the best car I've ever owned

Overall Rating

Styling

Performance

Comfort & Quality

Safety

Features

Fuel Economy

Reliability

I don't know what these guys were driving but I've got 50,000 miles on my 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew and it's an excellent vehicle. There is not a squeak or a rattle anywhere in this car. I get almost 30...
I don't know what these guys were driving but I've got 50,000 miles on my 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew and it's an excellent vehicle. There is not a squeak or a rattle anywhere in this car. I get almost 30 miles per gallon on the highway and I averaged 20 miles per gallon. The handling of this car is impressive! I took it in last week for a minor adjustment that was covered under warranty, and the tech came back after test driving it and said it was probably the smoothest riding quietest car that he had test-driven! I don't know what this reviewer is driving, but it certainly wasn't Grand Caravan Crew model. Everybody loves the interior. The soft-touch Fabrics on the doors are luxurious. The two-tone interior really sets off the whole car. Granted the second row seats are just moderately comfortable, but they're fully adjustable and the leg room is impressive when you move the seat back. The stow and go is absolutely the only way to go! The stereo system is also impressive. I can Crank It Up full blast and adjust the equalizer and get just an amazing sound. The reviewer said it was a slab-sided box and all that and you know what? It's reminiscent of the styling of the early minivan by Chrysler, but updated. With the crew model I have the fog lights up front and that front end is beautiful! I like the shape of it. These new more bulbous rounded, barges that everyone's gone to I don't like. I don't holler around kids and I'm a widower now, so I threw some GT headlights and some custom wheels on there and people love it. I can't find anything better. I want to buy something new, even an SUV, but I can't find anything I like better that my Dodge Grand Caravan Crew. The features on it are not available on the new 2018 models, so I guess I'll keep my 2013 + More »

people found this helpful.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

July 17, 2018

For 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan

Get CAA or AAA, only vehicle that ever broke down and left us stranded. Twice! This was my third and last Dodge.

Overall Rating

Styling

Performance

Comfort & Quality

Safety

Features

Fuel Economy

Reliability

So nervous to drive this Dodge Caravan from new! Brakes failed on first inspection, Chrysler refused to come good for it.

people found this helpful.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes

September 6, 2017

2018 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT Wagon

This car is a huge bargain

Overall Rating

Styling

Performance

Comfort & Quality

Safety

Features

Fuel Economy

Reliability

I own a Late Model Dodge Grand Caravan and it is a lot less cost than the Toyota or the Honda . It handles like a sports car and the ride is not harsh . It has great breaks ,Cruise control , adj Foot pedals ...
I own a Late Model Dodge Grand Caravan and it is a lot less cost than the Toyota or the Honda . It handles like a sports car and the ride is not harsh . It has great breaks ,Cruise control , adj Foot pedals , Stow and Go , 6 electric windows , Dual zone air cond . and decent fuel mileage for a large 7 passenger car . These can tow up to 3,600 lbs . and there's much more than I can mention . + More »